Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous Venezuelan, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, referred to oil as the devil's excrement. For countries, easy wealth appears indeed to be the sure path to failure. Venezuela might be a clear example of that.

Archive for March 11th, 2012

You have to wonder whether the perversity by the revolution was on purpose or just coincidencal. Last week, on International Women’s Day 2012, there were two separate judicial decisions in Venezuela: In the first one, Judge Maria Affiuni’s appeal against the extension for two more years of her detention, was denied by Appeals Court. In the second one, Edmundo Chirinos, who was sentenced to twenty years in jail for the murder of 18 year old patient Roxana Vargas, was given by the Appeals Court the benefit of serving his sentence at home.

The difference? Judge Affiuni should be tried in freedom according to the law, as she has been in jail for more than two years without a trail Despite this, the Appeals Court extends her jailing for two more years, which she is spending at home because she is ill. Of course, she can’t even get treatment in Venezuela, as she is not allowed to be visited by a Doctor or to go to a Doctor.

Giving Chirinos the benefit of serving his sentence at home is perfectly legal, such a benefit is contemplated by the law for people over 70 years old. He is 77.

However, Chirinos told reporter Ibeyise Pacheco, that he only turned himself in because he thought his connections to Chavismo would save him and if he were given the benefit of serving his sentence at home, he would escape.

Curiously, Affiuni is in jail for freeing an enemy of the Government who had also been in jail for two years without a trial. She applied the law and Chavez suggested she should be jailed. Which she was. The Prosecutor has never been able to show that there was any irregularity.

Meanwhile, Chirinos was given the 20 year sentence explicitly at the Yare II jail. He can now go home and even try to escape thanks to the appeals Court.